On Thursday, Oct. 1, a 26-year-old male (I will not state his name) started a shooting rampage at Umpqua Community College in Oregon. This left nine dead, not including the shooter, and many others injured.
As the day progressed, more details started to emerge and all of them were heartbreaking. But perhaps the detail that stuck out to me the most was the fact that the shooter was targeting those who are Christians. Reports started coming out that the shooter forced students to line up and, one by one, asked them if they were Christian or not. If they said yes, he shot them.
This isn't the first time that this happened. On April 20, 1999, two teenagers stormed Columbine High School and killed 13 people. One of these people was Cassie Bernall, who was shot because she confirmed that she was a Christian.
Reading these different stories, I started to wonder whether or not I would say "yes" in that life or death situation. Up until recently I would have. Why wouldn't I? I believe in God and I stand strong in my beliefs. That seems like the ultimate test of your faith, whether or not you would die for your faith. It's a test that I would definitely want to pass.
But my thinking changed after a discussion I had in one of my classes. My teacher talked about how she would say no if she were in that situation. She was a relatively new parent, which changed her perspective on life. The first thing she would think of is her son. She shared how if she were in that situation, she would say what she had to say so that she can go back to him at the end of the day.
Her response appalled me, especially because I go to a Christian college and mostly everyone is a follower of Christ. But as I thought about it, it put everything in perspective for me.
I would like to think that God has bigger plans for me, and ending it in such a way like that isn't part of it. Of course, situations arise where my faith is called into question, but it will probably never be (knock on wood) as drastic as what happened in Oregon. My purpose in life is something that I probably won't fulfill if my life ends abruptly, and God intends to fulfill that purpose in another way than giving up my life for the sake of my faith.
I can't speak for my professor, but I would imagine that she feels that part of her life's purpose is to raise her son and possibly more kids into respectable people of Christ, and she won't be able to do that if she died for her faith.
Do not be mistaken: I am in no way belittling those who died for the sake of their faith. I believe that what they did was noble and extremely brave. Everyone, including myself, should strive to be that way: unashamed and steadfast in their beliefs. God is continuing to carry out their purpose in different ways, even if they aren't physically here with us anymore.
But at the same time, I don't think it is fair to look down upon those people of faith who would say no in situations like this. In the Bible, Peter denied Jesus three times before his crucifixion, but after Jesus' resurrection was forgiven and made shepherd of the people.
Am I a Christian? Absolutely. Would I deny God to save my life? I would. Why? Because God has bigger plans for me in this life that I don't think I can fulfill if my answer was "yes."
